Day 27 - A day on the Nockalmstrasse

Monday 23rd July 2018

Today’s dawn brings blue skies over the Nockalmstrasse. There is a cooling wind blowing but the conditions will be close to perfect. The last time Mick and I rode here it was a wet day which spoiled the fun a bit. Another time there was a classic sports rally event on with some of the drivers treating the road as a race track, completely ignoring that it is a two-way road.

So the prospect of finding a 50-year-old souped up coupe in your face as you round a blind corner was rather unnerving. Then one of them blew its engine and left a 400-metre long trail of oil down the road. That was scary as hell.

Empty roads and perfect curves


But there are none of those problems today. The road is empty in the early morning. It’s great to ride without the weight of the luggage on the bike. The K1200rs has a sporty side that needs unleashing every now and again. It is a heavy bike but beautifully balanced and it’s 130+ ps is more than enough for this sort of road.

There a series of lovely hairpins at the northern end


I’ve already said that the Nockalmstrasse is the best biking road in Western Europe, but why? For a start it is a toll road costing €12 for a bike day ticket. It’s more for cars. So the patrons are all there to enjoy driving the road. There are no trucks or caravans. It is off the beaten track so not a required through route. Put this all together and you have the perfect playground for bikers.

Note: if you stay in a local hotel they can provide a 50% discount ticket. 

It runs for a little over 30 kilometres, over two peaks and down into three river valleys. There are more than 80 hairpins, the asphalt is perfect and the cambers are true. Stelvio and the Großglockner are like busy motorways in comparison.

Cresting one of the two high peaks


Today we have all day to play in this paradise. There is a strong wind but it’s only an issue on the two peaks. 

So back and forth we go enjoying every moment. We only leave the park for a quick run down into Reichenau for fuel. Then it’s back to the hairpins for more fun.

There are a few restaurants and guest houses inside the Nockalmstrasse


Finally we’re done and wind back down the north end and back to the hotel.

I’ve been in touch with a lad called Richard who is posting in the Motorcycle Touring group on Facebook. He is on tour on his way from UK to Croatia and is in the vicinity. He is going to drop by for a coffee and a natter if he can.

Richard Husher arrives on his GS


And so he does. We take coffee on the hotel terrace and share our adventure stories. Richard is going to meet up with his girlfriend in Croatia and they will ride on down the Adriatic Coast to Dubrovnik over the next few days. We tell him about our tour down that way last year, and warn about the extreme heat he is going to find.

Finally he’s off, spending the night at the foot of the Vrsic Pass in Slovenia. Bon Voyage Richard.

Coffee in the sunshine on the hotel terrace



Richard on his way to Slovenia

Please follow this link for my YouTube video of our day on the Nockalmstrasse

 Riding the Nockalm - YouTube video from Daves Eurobimbles channel

Comments

  1. Unknown1 August 2018 at 01:44

    Thanks David. Thank you for inviting and sharing the Nockalmstrasse with me.
    I agree with you. Much better than Grossglocknor and Del Stelvio

    It’s the 1st August and I’m solo again and heading home I suppose. I have six days left. .Austria beckons again tomorrow

    ReplyDelete
  2. Unknown1 August 2018 at 01:44

    Thanks David. Thank you for inviting and sharing the Nockalmstrasse with me.
    I agree with you. Much better than Grossglocknor and Del Stelvio

    It’s the 1st August and I’m solo again and heading home I suppose. I have six days left. .Austria beckons again tomorrow

    ReplyDelete

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